B-HAG Running Podcast Episode 30: Working the Plan

In this episode I recap the first week of my training with the Pat Carroll Advanced Marathon Training Plan, take you for a hot and humid long run, talk about how where I live encourages an active lifestyle and the recent Sydney Dailymile meet up.

Song: ‘Hot Step’ by Hello Operator

All music in this episode is from www.musicalley.com

Contact the show:
Email: bhagrunning(at)gmail(dot)com
On Twitter: @JayDubRunning
Facebook: JayDub Running

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Time to work the plan!

The journey of a thousand mile begins with a single (mid-foot striking!) step.

This week I’ve commenced my 20-week marathon training program that will hopefully take me (uninjured!) to a good, sub-4 hour finish at the 2011 Gold Coast Marathon on Sunday July 3.

I had been tinkering with developing my own training plan for a number of weeks, but wasn’t confident I was getting the phasing right – the mix of build-up and step-down weeks over the life of the training cycle. I’ve learned a great deal over the last 18 months or so, but in the end I wasn’t confident that I was capable of pulling together my own plan as well as I would have liked.

When the GC Marathon training diaries were published last week, I was immediately intrigued and attracted to them. They’ve been devised by Aussie coach and running legend Pat Carroll and take a time-based approach to many of the key run workouts. Pat knows the GC marathon very well, having won the event himself four times in 1983, 1984, 1988 and 1997.

I weighed up whether to do the intermediate or advanced plan. Most advanced plans I’ve looked at are beyond where I’m at or where could get to over the course of a training cycle, but this plan (given a lot of the runs were time-based and aimed at finding a marathon pace rather than setting one) seemed more manageable.

It requires me to run five times a week most weeks, and the most I’ve been running is four times a week. Again though, I think I can manage the extra run within the framework of this particular plan.

There are essentially three types of runs, Comfortable runs, speed sessions and ‘possible races’. Here’s how the intro to the plan describes each:

1) Comfortable runs - These sessions are set to time only, ie; 30min or 2hrs or 3hrs etc. These runs are to be run at a comfortable pace (still able to carry out a conversation).

2) Speed sessions - These sessions will allow you to become a faster runner and involve an active 10-15min warm up followed by what is noted (core of the session). Always finish your speed sessions with a cool-down jog followed by stretching.

Example 1: 6 x 500m, 1min SR. All 500 metre efforts will be run at a similar pace and by the time you have finished your 6th you will be starting to tire.
Example 2: 15 min effort. You will be running at an even pace throughout and when you finish you will feel like you could not have travelled much further while holding the same pace.
Example 3: Hill reps. These will last either side of 1 minute and a slow jog back down the hill will act as your recovery.

3) Possible race - These will be run at an even pace throughout and when you finish you will feel like you could not have travelled much further while holding the same pace. You will be able to use your 3k Time Trial performances to help predict a manageable pace for your races. You will be able to use your performances in your ‘possible races’ to help predict a manageable pace for your Gold Coast Airport Marathon event.

One of the ‘possible races’ included in the program is a Half Marathon on May 15, which just happens to be the date of the Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon I registered for last week.

I’ll be posting my workouts on dailymile and may post weekly summaries here also if I have time. I’ll also be providing weekly training updates on the B-HAG Running podcast, which I hope will become a journal of my growth as a runner over the next five months and not just a record of mental and physical breakdown!

Seriously though, I like the organisation and structure of a good plan and knowing that each workout has a purpose and that it will contribute to achieving a desired goal over the long term. My job now is to get out there and WORK THE PLAN!

B-HAG Running Podcast Episode 29: Shifting the Goal Posts

In this episode I discuss my upcoming training for the Gold Coast Marathon and share a race report from my first 10k race for 2011.

The Gold Coast Marathon

GC Marathon Training Diaries 2011

Pat Carroll’s online coaching web site

The 2011 Sydney Striders 10k Series

Cool audio from Barry L, and a great message from HonestJim.

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Me? A dailymile Team Member?

UPDATE: I have decided not to pursue being a member of the dailymile Team for 2011. Maybe next year or when I can commit the time to the role which I think it deserves.

For those of you who read this blog or listen to my podcast, you’ll know that I’m a HUGE fan of dailymile.

I’ve been a member of a number of social networking sites focussed on running and reviewed plenty of others, but dailymile has continued to stand out, in my opinion, as the premier social networking site for runners, cyclists, swimmers and triathletes.

Since I joined dailymile almost 12 months ago, I’ve had the opportunity to interact with amazing people from all over the world who all share a passion for their sport and pursuing an active lifestyle.

I’ve even had the chance to turn some of these ‘virtual friendships’ into actual friendships, by meeting up with and running with people I’ve come to know through dailymile. Next Saturday, 12 February I’ll have the chance once more to meet up with dailymile friends, this time to go for a social run around Blackwattle Bay in Sydney.

Being on dailymile has been an incredibly rewarding experience. I am constantly inspired and motivated by some amazing people, but most importantly of all I have the chance to give something back to the online running community by supporting and motivating others. That is a wonderful privilege and very much aligned with my personal philosophy of finding deeper joy by ‘growing fruit on other people’s trees’.

This week I received an email from the founders of dailymile asking me if I’d be willing to apply for one of 30 positions as a dailymile ‘Team Member’. This is essentially a role as an ambassador for dailymile, in which I would contribute to “growing the community of active dailymilers and promoting the activities we love by inspiring and motivating others”. Basically, doing what I already love to do on dailymile!

The catch, for want of a better term, is this: I have to submit a video of myself explaining why I would make a good Team Member to dailymile by Monday 7 February. It will then be one of possibly hundreds of videos (300 people have been asked to apply) which will be watched by and voted on by dailymile’s 200,000+ members. This is pretty scary!

My problem is this. I don’t have a issue with recording and submitting a video (despite some of the technical challenges involved!), but I do feel uncomfortable about putting myself up against a whole bunch of other people who I KNOW through my interactions with them on dailymile are far more suited to be much better members of the team. These are INCREDIBLE people who are way out of my league!

Friends on dailymile have been very supportive and have encouraged me to apply, but I’m still unsure. Well, I still have this weekend to think about it. Maybe I’ll talk to my kids about it and let them have their say – after all, it’s all about them at the end of the day.